[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 247 (Monday, December 27, 2010)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 81085-81086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32619]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 75 , No. 245 / Monday, December 27, 2010 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 81085]]


                Proclamation 8620 of December 21, 2010

                
National Stalking Awareness Month, 2011

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Stalking is a serious and pervasive crime that affects 
                millions of Americans each year in communities 
                throughout our country. Though we have gained a better 
                understanding of stalking and its prevalence since the 
                passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, this 
                dangerous and criminal behavior is still often 
                mischaracterized as harmless. During Stalking Awareness 
                Month, we acknowledge the seriousness of stalking, we 
                recognize its impact on victims, and we recommit to 
                reducing its incidence.

                Persistent stalking and harassment can lead to serious 
                consequences for victims, whose lives may be upended by 
                fear. Some victims may be forced to take extreme 
                measures to protect themselves, such as changing jobs, 
                relocating to a new home, or even assuming a new 
                identity. Stalking can happen to anyone, and most 
                victims are stalked by someone they know. Young adults 
                are particularly vulnerable, and women are at greater 
                risk for stalking victimization than men.

                Stalking can be a difficult crime to recognize. The 
                majority of survivors do not report stalking 
                victimization to the police, in part because 
                perpetrators use a variety of tactics to intimidate and 
                harass their victims. Increasingly, stalkers use modern 
                technology to monitor and torment their victims, and 
                one in four victims report some form of cyberstalking--
                such as threatening emails or instant messaging--as 
                part of their harassment.

                My Administration is working across the Federal 
                Government to protect victims of violence and enable 
                survivors to break the cycle of abuse or harassment. 
                Stalking affects too many Americans to remain a hidden 
                crime, and a strong stand is required in order to both 
                support victims and hold perpetrators accountable.

                As a Nation, we have made progress, but much work 
                remains to respond to this criminal behavior. We must 
                work together to educate the public about the 
                potentially deadly nature of stalking, to encourage 
                victims to seek help, to inform criminal justice 
                professionals about the intersection of stalking and 
                other dangerous crimes, and to support law enforcement 
                in their efforts.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim January 2011 as 
                National Stalking Awareness Month. I call on all 
                Americans to learn to recognize the signs of stalking, 
                acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those 
                impacted not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help. 
                Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors, 
                and to create communities that are secure and 
                supportive for all Americans.

[[Page 81086]]

                 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth. 
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2010-32619
Filed 12-23-10; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P